Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-04-14
The School Board and Sam. Tracey
Attorneys.


At the last October term Of the Circuit
Court, came on to be tried the case of the
School Board against Samuel S. Tracey,
a defaulting Tax Collector sued for a
balance on the School Levies of 1876 and
1877, amounting with interest according
10 the School Board account TO about
three thousand dollars.
The plaintiff presented its case and then
the defendant by his attorneys made de.
fence. The names Of the defendants at
torneys are William Benton Crisp and
James Revell-at the trial they suppress
ed the written evidence of what payments
had been made by Samuel 5. Tracey. con-
tanned in the receipts given to him BY the
Treasurer of the School Board whenever
he made payment, as this evidence had
been continually suppressed by the defen
dant and his attorneys in the discussion
about the account had before the trial.
have letter from Mr.. Crisp of date May
9th 1885, in which he says in reference
to the account Every thing we have sub.
mitted TO you, your own vouchers bearing
your signature will authenticate. / said
the accounts not true, produce the vouch-
ers The vouchers were not produced. A
false account was set up, while the vouch-
ers were suppressed before the trial as they
were suppressed by these attorneys at the
trial. These attorneys also suppressed at
the trial their own account, therefore ex-
hibited of the defendants dealings with
the School Board for the years 1876 and
1877, that is the account spoken of by
Mr.. Crispin his letter to me of date May
1885 as "our statement of the accounts for
1S76-1S1T' that account, their own ac-
count, was also suppressed by them at the
trial
Then his attorneys put the defendant,
, Samuel S. Tracey himself on the witness
stand to give oral testimony. Then Sam.
stood up on the witness stand brave as a
lion, and swore plumb through that he
had paid the money Then his attorney
William Benton Crisp went on the wit
ness stand and swere there in the presence
of the Court and the jury he swole that
the Commissioners told him the account
had been settled Then lawyer Revell
stood up and protested that his client had
paid this money and they were now try.
ing to make him pay it over again. (The
men who were the Commissioners of
Schools at the time the School Board
ordered that its attorney bring suit
against Samuel S. Tracey if he would
not make a satisfactory settlement, are n.
5. Knighton, II. Ii. Greene and VIM. A.
Shipley) they were trying to make his
client pay the money a second time. Then
with brave swearing and lawyers hocus-
pocus, verdict was obtained for the de
PENDANT, by which the Public Schools.are
defrauded of three thousand dollars. AS TO
the statement sworn to by William Benton
Crisp that the Commissioners told. him
the account had been settled, | give here
from letters in my possession, the state
ments of the Commissioners themselves:
NOV. 18th, 1886.
There was not while was member of
the School Board any settlement of Mr..
Traccys accounts to my recollection.
WILLIAM A. SHIPLEY."
AS far as my memory serves there new
er was any settlement of Samuel S. Ira
cey' S accounts as Collector for 1916 and
1877 with the School Board, and have
no recoll ection of having at any time told
w. Benton Crisp that any such settlement
had been made.
IN. S. KEIGHToN.'
DR. II. IL. Greene, the other Commits
sioner, will make a similar statement to
any one who chooses to ask him about it.
We administration of Justice.
WILLIAM HARWOOD